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Modernism

The end of the 19 th century and the early 20th century ushered in the progressive modernism which dominated the art scene in Europe. This period is known for its revolution in cultural life. Conservative modernism was in disrepute and was regarded as an art form. The well-known artists and writers went off the frames “of life in the forms of life” in their works. They claimed that the artist`s work should not be the means of public enlightenment and education, but an expression of the artist’s creative freedom. That is why it is quite hard to find out straightforwardly the real theme of the work. The most used themes at the end of the 19 th century were devoted to the poor class; the recognition of the impasse where humanity found itself owing to the rapid development of the civilization; the crisis and reassessment of the traditional values; the recognition of human loneliness, among others.

California Modernism Show is one significant exhibition that serves as a major study of the California modern design of the mid-century. The Modern Show exhibits more than three hundred objects, that include ceramics, furniture, metalwork, textile and fashion, and also graphical and industrial design. This particular exhibition show examines the role of the state in shaping the material culture of the entire country.  The show is basically organized into four thematic fields, with an aim of elucidating the quote from one émigré Greta Magnusson Grossman, said in 1951, and embedded into the show title, “California design is not a superimposed style but an answer to the present and the current conditions, it has developed out of our own preferences for living in a modern way” (California Design, 1930–1965: “Living in a Modern Way”).

Several personalities have described the California modernism as a real exhibition of the mid-century modernism. The shaping of the California modern has come a long way in the booming economy of the 1920’s when California experienced a tremendous population growth. This is demonstrated by the aerial view of the Los Angeles demonstration, where millions of denizens flocked to the urban areas of the state. This came hand in hand with the urgent need for extra housing and furniture. The main focus of the 1930s was on the “shaping.” This is when housing expansion came along with modern buildings and their furniture contents were made in modern styles and modern ways.

By the time before the onset of the Second World War, these new houses and their furniture were characterized by a unique kind of modernism originating from the California culture and the prevailing conditions at that time. The general qualities of this modernism were associated with the optimism and democracy which was prevailing in the most parts of the state. Less phobic experimentation and the embracing of the new technology were evident. Among other attributes which made the California’s best products distinctive were those specific to design properties. These included the affinity for light and for magnificent and brilliant colors, open mindedness to the Latin and the Asian influences. There was also an advocacy of cross disciplinary approaches and fluid spaces. The combination of these factors contributed to the rapid modernism in the California houses construction and also in furniture making.

Although the California modernism championed and embraced the new and emerging technologies, simplified geometric forms, and innovative materials it did not lose the touch with the individuality of earlier ancient arts and crafts movement. This modernism retained the sense of being particular and associated to a place while remaining connected to the nature. This was a total contrast to the European international style in that; this was a more humanistic modernism. This was a modernism that embraced comfort and leisure in total measures and directly responded and connected to, and with the environment.

California design has also been termed influential in other modernism exhibitions. Its goals have been embraced in the whole of America, and with a greater passion by the Museum of the Modern Work in the New York City. The Museum of the Modern Work in collaboration with the Chicago Merchandise Mart annually held good design exhibitions between 1950 and 1955,. California modernism design exhibitions became the center of interest at the Pasadena Art Museum.

Products from the California Modernism Exhibition have been well represented in other exhibitions as well. In the MoMA exhibition the table by Gene Tapper was represented by Charles and Ray Eames, who were the designers of the MoMA’s first installation of these series. These series continued for more than twenty years since the first exhibition of the first California Design at the Pasadena Art Museum, at the end of 1954. These series have, among other things, celebrated the alliance between commerce and art. The Pasadena Art Museum, the MoMA, the San Francisco Museum of Art, together shared the populist conviction art, which is evident in our day to day life and has a legitimate place in their galleries. 

As elaborated vividly by the De Stijl manifesto – a group founded back in 1917 in Holland city – there is a dedication to the art synthesis in design and architecture. It was composed of architects and designers like Gerrif Rietveld and J.J.P. Oud, and painters Georges Vantongerbo and Piet Mondrian. From their manifesto, which was translated by Nicholas Bullock, the group was in acclamation that there exist both old and new time consciousness, with the old consciousness connected to the individual and the new consciousness connected to the universe. The struggle of the individual with the universe has manifested itself in the world war as well in the present day art (Wolfe). It is their view that the war gradually destroyed the old world’s content which represented the individual domination in every state. The new art brought with it the new consciousness of time, which balanced the universal and the individual. The new consciousness has realized the internal life as well as the external life.

In this manifesto, the group also demonstrated how the traditional dogmas and individual domination are opposed to the realism of the modernization. The group also invited other stakeholders, like the founders of the new plastic art, who believed in the reformation of art and culture, to join hands in eradicating these obstacles in the realization of modernism. This was to be done with an aim of protecting the pure artistic expressions, which is the ultimate of all other concepts of art.

Similar sentiments were shared by Walter Gropius in the addressing of the Bauhaus Manifesto. In his concerns, he pointed out that the art of today exists in isolation, and can only be rescued through a conscious cooperation and efforts by the craftsmen, painters and sculptors, who in unity must recognize and learn to grasp the composite building character as an entity as well as a separate constituent. He also ascertained that the old school of art cannot produce the required unity alone. The architects, painters, and sculptors must not drift from the ancient crafts as well. They should incorporate their new skills into what has been done previously so as to enable them to achieve excellence in a coordinated art work in design and realization of modernism (Gropius 2-3).

Founded by Morgan and Jeff, the organic themes also reflected the personal lifestyle, which suited our approaches to the design and the development of other Word Press themes. These includes the tech theme, the news theme, the simple portfolio theme, the Verbage theme -which boosts a clean modern design, paying attention to the typography – and the structure theme, which is a modern design theme. The structure theme is specially designed to adopt the addition of the content style. This makes it perfect for a variety of markets including the art and design, magazines, and music (WordPress).

In conclusion, there is an awake call to all stakeholders within the modernization and the design sector. The California Modernism Show demonstrated the success in combining and incorporating the new technologies with the ancient artwork and design. In the De Stijl manifesto, there exist both old and new time consciousness, with the old consciousness connected to the individual and new consciousness connected to the universe. Walter Gropius also called for merging between the craftsman and the artist, together in the realization of a new structure of the future.